KUALA LUMPUR, 19 April 2026 – Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Chairman Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz has stressed that the main issue concerning diesel is not its high price. Instead, he questioned who is still receiving diesel subsidies and the reasons behind the sudden sharp drop in diesel consumption by billions of litres recently.
In a post on the X platform yesterday, Tengku Zafrul wrote: “Expensive diesel? Compare unsubsidised diesel with subsidised petrol – the difference is indeed very big. Who exactly is still getting the subsidy, and why has diesel usage suddenly dropped by billions of litres?”
The post included a video lasting more than three minutes featuring him explaining the matter. In the video, Tengku Zafrul emphasised: “The issue is not expensive diesel… compare it with (subsidised petrol). They are still getting diesel.”
He also presented price comparisons and urged the government to provide “additional protection” to the deserving groups, while stressing “Ensure Assistance Reaches the Right People”.
The video also showed images of petrol stations, fishermen using diesel boats, and other clips to illustrate the impact of subsidies on specific sectors.
Tengku Zafrul’s statement is seen as a response to public complaints about diesel prices following the government’s implementation of targeted diesel subsidy rationalisation. The significant decline in diesel usage over the past few months is believed to stem from the targeted subsidy policy aimed at eliminating leakages and smuggling.
Tengku Zafrul, who is also President of the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM), frequently shares views on people-centric economic issues through his X account under the hashtags #EkonomiRakyat and #MADANIBekerja.
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